Carl Hankey raises funds for IB program

Carl Hankey School eighth-grader Jason Porter put the finishing touches on his magic show booth just hours before the gates opened for the carnival at his K-8 campus. "This carnival was a lot of work," he said, "but was also pretty fun, and it's for a good cause."

Porter was one of about 35 eighth-grade Hankey students who volunteered to conceive, construct and staff one of several booths at the school's recent fundraiser, which featured a morning jog-a-thon and an afternoon carnival with games, rides, food and a silent auction. Hankey is Orange County's only public K-8 International Baccalaureate Candidate school, and it raises operating costs for its IB program through fundraising

IB is a rigorous educational program that promotes an international perspective and mandates teaching additional subjects not required by California state standardsAt Hankey, the foundation funds crucial foreign language classes, technology, and visual and performing arts.

"We've taken on a tremendous responsibility," said Carl Hankey International Education Foundation (CHIEF) President Analee Kredel-Speer. "The IB curriculum is impressive but it's also quite expensive."

For the fourth consecutive year, CHIEF engaged its partner in education, oil and gas company BP, to match funds raised through the school community. So far this year CHIEF has asked for donations via its annual Hawk Trot jog-a-thon, the afterschool carnival, a portrait fundraiser and general pleas to parents. This school year, CHIEF tapped its school community for $33,000, which was matched by BP for a total of $66,000.

"We are very fortunate to have the support of BP," said Kredel-Speer. "Their financial contributions go a long way toward our funding goal."

CHIEF's goal for the 2012-13 school year is $100,000, or $34,000 more than the foundation has raised so far.

"We hope to close this shortfall with grants and corporate donations," said Julie Holley, fundraising VP. "Our efforts for the rest of the year will be finding those opportunities."